Babies are now stuck in a war zone as war in Ukraine has prevented biological parents from claiming their babies.

Surrogacy industry in Ukraine hit by war, citizenship of newborn babies unclear

According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, Russia is planning to send at least 40,000 fighters from the Syrian army and other militia ranks to Ukraine.

Last week the Kremlin had said President Putin had given the green signal to allow Syrian fighters to travel to Ukraine to fight the war. The Syrian watchdog said Russian officers had already begun the registration process.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/ukraine-war-russias-orlan-10-krasnopol-laser-guided-drones-462157">Also Read in Pics:&nbsp;Russia's Orlan-10 Krasnopol laser-guided drones</a>

Russia had entered the Syrian conflict in 2015 on the side of Bashar al-Assad's regime and had tested most of its modern weapons system. The Syrian combatants being sent to Ukraine include those from the regular army or the pro-regime militia groups, the watchdog said.

The Observatory added the Syrian fighters are likely to be given a salary of $1,100 to fight in Ukraine including $7,700 in compensation for injuries. The families will reportedly get $16,500 if they are killed in combat.

Watch:&nbsp;An anti-war protester disrupts live bulletin, sign says 'Stop the war they are lying'

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/an-anti-war-protester-disrupts-live-bulletin-sign-says-stop-the-war-they-are-lying-462520/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Reports claim the "Wagner" group is also involved in the operation with thousands set to be recruited by the Syrian regime's ruling Baath party. The "Wagner" group is a private militia which is believed to close to Putin's regime.

Reports claim Syrian mercenaries have already fought in Libya and Nagorno-Karabakh. The development comes as Russian forces increased their attacks on Kyiv with reports claiming fierce fighting underway in regions along the capital.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/ukraine-claims-to-capture-russias-pantsir-s1-missile-system-is-it-a-rich-catch-461275">Also Read:&nbsp;Ukraine claims to capture Russia's Pantsir-S1 missile system; is it a rich catch?</a>

The mayor of Kyiv has declared a 36-hour curfew amid increased Russian attacks. President Putin had ordered a "special military operation" against Ukraine on February 24 as Russian forces began bombarding the country.

The UN has said at least 3 million people have crossed over to neighbouring countries amid the war in Ukraine even as civilian casualties continue to mount due to repeated Russian shelling over the past three weeks.

(With inputs from Agencies)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, Russia is planning to send at least 40,000 fighters from the Syrian army and other militia ranks to Ukraine.

According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, Russia is planning to send at least 40,000 fighters from the Syrian army and other militia ranks to Ukraine. Last week the Kremlin had said President Putin had given the green signal to allow Syrian fighters to travel to Ukraine to fight the war. The Syrian watchdog said Russian officers had already begun the registration process. Also Read in Pics: Russia's Orlan-10 Krasnopol laser-guided drones Russia had entered the Syrian conflict in 2015 on the side of Bashar al-Assad's regime and had tested most of its modern weapons system. The Syrian combatants being sent to Ukraine include those from the regular army or the pro-regime militia groups, the watchdog said. The Observatory added the Syrian fighters are likely to be given a salary of $1,100 to fight in Ukraine including $7,700 in compensation for injuries. The families will reportedly get $16,500 if they are killed in combat. Watch: An anti-war protester disrupts live bulletin, sign says 'Stop the war they are lying' Reports claim the "Wagner" group is also involved in the operation with thousands set to be recruited by the Syrian regime's ruling Baath party. The "Wagner" group is a private militia which is believed to close to Putin's regime. Reports claim Syrian mercenaries have already fought in Libya and Nagorno-Karabakh. The development comes as Russian forces increased their attacks on Kyiv with reports claiming fierce fighting underway in regions along the capital. Also Read: Ukraine claims to capture Russia's Pantsir-S1 missile system; is it a rich catch? The mayor of Kyiv has declared a 36-hour curfew amid increased Russian attacks. President Putin had ordered a "special military operation" against Ukraine on February 24 as Russian forces began bombarding the country. The UN has said at least 3 million people have crossed over to neighbouring countries amid the war in Ukraine even as civilian casualties continue to mount due to repeated Russian shelling over the past three weeks. (With inputs from Agencies)

Russia promises to pay Syrian army fighters $1,100 to fight in Ukraine: Watchdog

The European union has now adopted a fourth package of sanctions against Russia over its invasion of Ukraine.

New curbs to further isolate Russia, EU adopts 4th package of sanctions

The war in Ukraine is far from over, but a consensus is forming in Chinese policy circles that one country stands to emerge victorious from the turmoil: China.

After a confused initial response to Russia’s invasion, China has laid the building blocks of a strategy to shield itself from the worst economic and diplomatic consequences it could face, and to benefit from geopolitical shifts once the smoke clears.

China’s leader, Xi Jinping, has avoided criticizing President Vladimir Putin of Russia, but he has also tried to distance China from the carnage. His government has denounced the international sanctions imposed on Russia but, so far at least, has hinted that Chinese companies may comply with them, to protect China’s economic interests in the West.

Xi reached out to European leaders last week with vague offers of assistance in negotiating a settlement, even as other Chinese officials amplified Russian disinformation campaigns meant to discredit the United States and NATO. Officials in Washington claimed, without providing evidence, that after the invasion Russia asked China for economic and military assistance, which a Chinese official denounced on Monday as disinformation.

In the end, China’s leadership has calculated that it must try to rise above what it considers a struggle between two tired powers and be seen as a pillar of stability in an increasingly turbulent world.

“This means that as long as we don’t commit terminal strategic blunders, China’s modernization will not be cut short, and on the contrary, China will have even greater ability and will to play a more important role in building a new international order,” Zheng Yongnian, a professor at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, who has advised senior officials, wrote after the invasion in a widely circulated article.

At the heart of China’s strategy lies a conviction that the United States is weakened from reckless foreign adventures, including, from Beijing’s perspective, goading Putin into the Ukraine conflict.

In this view, which in recent days has been echoed in public statements and quasi-official analyses, Russia’s invasion has dragged American power and attention toward Europe, making it likely that President Joe Biden, like his recent predecessors, will try but fail to put more focus on China and the broader Asia-Pacific region.

“All the difficulties and all the balancing and all the embarrassment that we’re talking about, those are short-term,” said Yun Sun, the director of the China Program at the Stimson Center in Washington, who has studied Beijing’s actions in the lead-up to the war. “In the long run, Russia is going to be the pariah of the international community, and Russia will have no one to turn to but China.”

China’s path ahead is by no means certain. Drawing too close to Russia would risk entrenching animosity toward China in Europe and beyond, a possibility that worries Xi’s government, for all its bluster.

And if Germany, France and other allies build up their defenses as promised, the United States could ultimately be freed up to shift more of its military resources toward countering China. Biden has vowed to rally an “alliance of democracies,” while American military leaders say they will not let Ukraine distract them from China.

“We also feel very, very anxious because the Russia-Ukraine war will force Europe to lean to the U.S., and then China will be dragged deeper into a dilemma,” said Zhu Feng, a professor of international relations at Nanjing University. The United States’ allies in the Pacific, including Japan and Australia, “will also adopt a stronger military posture. So it all seems unfriendly to China.”

China’s initial stumbles after Russia’s invasion have also raised concern about Xi’s ability to navigate the war’s aftershocks.

He has repeatedly warned Chinese officials that the world is entering an era of upheaval “the likes of which have not been seen for a century.” Yet those officials seemed ill-prepared for the upheaval of Putin’s assault on Ukraine.

Up to the day of the invasion, they scoffed at warnings that Russia was poised for war, instead accusing the United States of stoking tensions. Since then, they have struggled to reconcile sympathy for Putin’s security grievances with their often-stated reverence for the principle of national sovereignty, including Ukraine’s.

Xi, in a video conference with President Emmanuel Macron of France and Chancellor Olaf Sholz of Germany, lamented “the rekindling of the flames of war” in Europe. Yet his diplomats have fanned the flames of Russian disinformation, accusing the United States of developing biological weapons in Ukraine.

“This is just not good for China’s international reputation,” said Bobo Lo, an expert on China-Russia ties at the French Institute of International Relations. “It’s not just China’s reputation in the West; I think it also affects China’s reputation in the non-West, because it’s essentially associating itself with an imperial power.”

China could also face economic disruptions from the war and the Western efforts to punish Russia by restricting trade and cutting off its financial institutions. Chinese officials have denounced such measures, and while the United States and its allies have shown remarkable unity in imposing them, other countries share Beijing’s reservations about using powerful economic tools as weapons.

In any case, China’s economy is large enough to absorb blows that would cripple others. Chinese companies may even end up well positioned to take advantage of Russia’s desperate need for trade, as happened when Moscow faced sanctions over the annexation of Crimea in 2014.

China’s strategy reflects a hardening of views toward the United States since Biden came to office in 2021 — in large part, because officials had hoped for some easing after the chaotic and confrontational policies of President Donald Trump.

“In its China strategy, the Biden administration’s policy continuities with the Trump administration are clearly bigger than any differences,” Yuan Peng, president of the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations in Beijing, wrote late last year. “Biden has repeatedly avowed that the United States is not in a ‘new Cold War’ with China, but China often feels the chill creeping in everywhere.”

Whatever happens in the war, China sees its deepening ties to Russia as a way to cultivate a counterweight to the United States. The partnership that Xi and Putin celebrated last month at the Winter Olympics in Beijing has become too important to sacrifice, whatever misgivings some officials have about the war.

Arguing that the era of American dominance after the Soviet Union’s collapse in 1991 was a historical anomaly, both Xi and Putin have embraced geopolitical doctrines that call for their countries to reclaim their status as great powers.

Just as Putin depicts the United States as menacing Russia on its western frontier, Xi sees U.S. support for Taiwan, the self-governing island democracy that Beijing claims as its own, as a similar threat off China’s coast.

In recent weeks, Chinese analysts have repeatedly cited the century-old writings of a British geographer, Sir Halford John Mackinder. Whoever controls Central Europe controls the vast landmass stretching from Europe to Asia, he argued. Whoever controls Eurasia can dominate the world.

A modern Russian proponent of such thinking, Aleksandr G. Dugin, has written extensively on what he sees as a growing clash between the liberal, decadent West and a conservative Eurasian continent with Russia as its soul.

Dugin, sometimes called “Putin’s philosopher,” has built a following in China, appearing in state media and visiting Beijing in 2018 to deliver a series of lectures. His host on that occasion was Zhang Weiwei, a propagandist-academic who has won Xi’s favor and who last year gave a lecture to the Politburo, a council of 25 top party officials.

“The West should not have become a hegemon in defining universal standards because the West or Europe, or the West in general is only part of humanity,” Dugin told a Chinese state television interviewer in 2019. “And the other part, a majority of human beings, live outside the West, in Asia.”

Such aversion to international standards for political or human rights, supposedly dictated by the West, has become a recurrent theme in Chinese criticism of the United States. It was the subject of a government position paper in December, intended to counter virtual summit of democratic countries held by Biden, and of a long statement that Putin and Xi issued when they met in Beijing last month.

As it turns to Beijing for support against Western sanctions, Russia will become increasingly beholden to China as its diplomatic and economic lifeline, while serving as its strategic geopolitical ballast, analysts say.

“The old order is swiftly disintegrating, and strongman politics is again ascendant among the world’s great powers,” wrote Zheng of the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen. “Countries are brimming with ambition, like tigers eyeing their prey, keen to find every opportunity among the ruins of the old order.”

The war in Ukraine is far from over, but a consensus is forming in Chinese policy circles that one country stands to emerge victorious from the turmoil: China. After a confused initial response to Russia’s invasion, China has laid the building blocks of a strategy to shield itself from the worst economic and diplomatic consequences it could face, and to benefit from geopolitical shifts once the smoke clears.

The war in Ukraine is far from over, but a consensus is forming in Chinese policy circles that one country stands to emerge victorious from the turmoil: China. After a confused initial response to Russia’s invasion, China has laid the building blocks of a strategy to shield itself from the worst economic and diplomatic consequences it could face, and to benefit from geopolitical shifts once the smoke clears. China’s leader, Xi Jinping, has avoided criticizing President Vladimir Putin of Russia, but he has also tried to distance China from the carnage. His government has denounced the international sanctions imposed on Russia but, so far at least, has hinted that Chinese companies may comply with them, to protect China’s economic interests in the West. Xi reached out to European leaders last week with vague offers of assistance in negotiating a settlement, even as other Chinese officials amplified Russian disinformation campaigns meant to discredit the United States and NATO. Officials in Washington claimed, without providing evidence, that after the invasion Russia asked China for economic and military assistance, which a Chinese official denounced on Monday as disinformation. In the end, China’s leadership has calculated that it must try to rise above what it considers a struggle between two tired powers and be seen as a pillar of stability in an increasingly turbulent world. “This means that as long as we don’t commit terminal strategic blunders, China’s modernization will not be cut short, and on the contrary, China will have even greater ability and will to play a more important role in building a new international order,” Zheng Yongnian, a professor at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, who has advised senior officials, wrote after the invasion in a widely circulated article. At the heart of China’s strategy lies a conviction that the United States is weakened from reckless foreign adventures, including, from Beijing’s perspective, goading Putin into the Ukraine conflict. In this view, which in recent days has been echoed in public statements and quasi-official analyses, Russia’s invasion has dragged American power and attention toward Europe, making it likely that President Joe Biden, like his recent predecessors, will try but fail to put more focus on China and the broader Asia-Pacific region. “All the difficulties and all the balancing and all the embarrassment that we’re talking about, those are short-term,” said Yun Sun, the director of the China Program at the Stimson Center in Washington, who has studied Beijing’s actions in the lead-up to the war. “In the long run, Russia is going to be the pariah of the international community, and Russia will have no one to turn to but China.” China’s path ahead is by no means certain. Drawing too close to Russia would risk entrenching animosity toward China in Europe and beyond, a possibility that worries Xi’s government, for all its bluster. And if Germany, France and other allies build up their defenses as promised, the United States could ultimately be freed up to shift more of its military resources toward countering China. Biden has vowed to rally an “alliance of democracies,” while American military leaders say they will not let Ukraine distract them from China. “We also feel very, very anxious because the Russia-Ukraine war will force Europe to lean to the U.S., and then China will be dragged deeper into a dilemma,” said Zhu Feng, a professor of international relations at Nanjing University. The United States’ allies in the Pacific, including Japan and Australia, “will also adopt a stronger military posture. So it all seems unfriendly to China.” China’s initial stumbles after Russia’s invasion have also raised concern about Xi’s ability to navigate the war’s aftershocks. He has repeatedly warned Chinese officials that the world is entering an era of upheaval “the likes of which have not been seen for a century.” Yet those officials seemed ill-prepared for the upheaval of Putin’s assault on Ukraine. Up to the day of the invasion, they scoffed at warnings that Russia was poised for war, instead accusing the United States of stoking tensions. Since then, they have struggled to reconcile sympathy for Putin’s security grievances with their often-stated reverence for the principle of national sovereignty, including Ukraine’s. Xi, in a video conference with President Emmanuel Macron of France and Chancellor Olaf Sholz of Germany, lamented “the rekindling of the flames of war” in Europe. Yet his diplomats have fanned the flames of Russian disinformation, accusing the United States of developing biological weapons in Ukraine. “This is just not good for China’s international reputation,” said Bobo Lo, an expert on China-Russia ties at the French Institute of International Relations. “It’s not just China’s reputation in the West; I think it also affects China’s reputation in the non-West, because it’s essentially associating itself with an imperial power.” China could also face economic disruptions from the war and the Western efforts to punish Russia by restricting trade and cutting off its financial institutions. Chinese officials have denounced such measures, and while the United States and its allies have shown remarkable unity in imposing them, other countries share Beijing’s reservations about using powerful economic tools as weapons. In any case, China’s economy is large enough to absorb blows that would cripple others. Chinese companies may even end up well positioned to take advantage of Russia’s desperate need for trade, as happened when Moscow faced sanctions over the annexation of Crimea in 2014. China’s strategy reflects a hardening of views toward the United States since Biden came to office in 2021 — in large part, because officials had hoped for some easing after the chaotic and confrontational policies of President Donald Trump. “In its China strategy, the Biden administration’s policy continuities with the Trump administration are clearly bigger than any differences,” Yuan Peng, president of the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations in Beijing, wrote late last year. “Biden has repeatedly avowed that the United States is not in a ‘new Cold War’ with China, but China often feels the chill creeping in everywhere.” Whatever happens in the war, China sees its deepening ties to Russia as a way to cultivate a counterweight to the United States. The partnership that Xi and Putin celebrated last month at the Winter Olympics in Beijing has become too important to sacrifice, whatever misgivings some officials have about the war. Arguing that the era of American dominance after the Soviet Union’s collapse in 1991 was a historical anomaly, both Xi and Putin have embraced geopolitical doctrines that call for their countries to reclaim their status as great powers. Just as Putin depicts the United States as menacing Russia on its western frontier, Xi sees U.S. support for Taiwan, the self-governing island democracy that Beijing claims as its own, as a similar threat off China’s coast. In recent weeks, Chinese analysts have repeatedly cited the century-old writings of a British geographer, Sir Halford John Mackinder. Whoever controls Central Europe controls the vast landmass stretching from Europe to Asia, he argued. Whoever controls Eurasia can dominate the world. A modern Russian proponent of such thinking, Aleksandr G. Dugin, has written extensively on what he sees as a growing clash between the liberal, decadent West and a conservative Eurasian continent with Russia as its soul. Dugin, sometimes called “Putin’s philosopher,” has built a following in China, appearing in state media and visiting Beijing in 2018 to deliver a series of lectures. His host on that occasion was Zhang Weiwei, a propagandist-academic who has won Xi’s favor and who last year gave a lecture to the Politburo, a council of 25 top party officials. “The West should not have become a hegemon in defining universal standards because the West or Europe, or the West in general is only part of humanity,” Dugin told a Chinese state television interviewer in 2019. “And the other part, a majority of human beings, live outside the West, in Asia.” Such aversion to international standards for political or human rights, supposedly dictated by the West, has become a recurrent theme in Chinese criticism of the United States. It was the subject of a government position paper in December, intended to counter virtual summit of democratic countries held by Biden, and of a long statement that Putin and Xi issued when they met in Beijing last month. As it turns to Beijing for support against Western sanctions, Russia will become increasingly beholden to China as its diplomatic and economic lifeline, while serving as its strategic geopolitical ballast, analysts say. “The old order is swiftly disintegrating, and strongman politics is again ascendant among the world’s great powers,” wrote Zheng of the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen. “Countries are brimming with ambition, like tigers eyeing their prey, keen to find every opportunity among the ruins of the old order.”

China sees at least one winner emerging from Ukraine war: China

The war in Ukraine has prompted the biggest rethinking of US&nbsp;foreign policy since the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, infusing the United States with a new sense of mission and changing its strategic calculus with allies and adversaries alike.

The Russian invasion has bonded America to Europe more tightly than at any time since the Cold War and deepened US&nbsp;ties with Asian allies, while forcing a reassessment of rivals like China, Iran and Venezuela.

And it has reenergized Washington’s leadership role in the democratic world just months after the chaotic US&nbsp;withdrawal from Afghanistan ended 20 years of conflict on a dismal note.

But the new focus on Russia will come with hard choices and internal contradictions, similar to ones that defined U.S. diplomacy during the Cold War, when America sometimes overlooked human rights abuses and propped up dictators in the name of the struggle against communism.

“It feels like we’re definitively in a new era,” said Benjamin J. Rhodes, a former deputy national security adviser in the Obama White House. “The post-9/11 war on terror period of American hubris, and decline, is now behind us. And we’re not sure what’s next.”

The attack by President Vladimir Putin of Russia on his neighbour has become a prism through which nearly all US&nbsp;foreign policy decisions will be cast for the foreseeable future, experts and officials said.

In recent weeks, Western officials have spoken in terms that often echo the grand declarations that followed the 2001 terrorist attacks. On Friday, President Joe Biden said that “the free world is coming together” to stand up to Putin — a phrase reminiscent of President George W. Bush’s talk of how “the entire free world” was at war against terrorism.

In the near term, Moscow’s aggression is sure to invigorate Biden’s global fight for democracy against autocracies like Russia, making vivid the threats to fledgling democracies like Ukraine. Yet three increasingly authoritarian NATO nations — Poland, Hungary and Turkey — play key roles in the coalition aiding Ukraine. And the United States is grappling with internal assaults to its own democracy.

The war lends urgency to Biden’s climate change agenda, reinforcing the need for more reliance on renewable clean energy over the fossil fuels that fill Russian coffers. Yet it has already generated new pressure to increase the short-term supply of oil from the likes of Venezuela’s isolated dictatorship and Saudi Arabia’s authoritarian monarchy.

And it creates a powerful new incentive for the United States to find ways of prying President Xi Jinping of China away from Putin, who is likely counting on diplomatic and economic lifelines from Xi amid crushing Western sanctions. But some administration officials see China as a lost cause and prefer to treat China and Russia as committed partners, hoping that might galvanize policies among Asian and European allies to contain them both.

While some experts warn that a renewed focus on Europe will inevitably divert attention from Asia, several top White House officials say the United States can capitalize on how the war has convinced some Asian governments that they need to work more closely with the West to build up a global ideological front to defend democracy.

“What we are seeing now is an unprecedented level of Asian interest and focus,” Kurt M. Campbell, the top White House official on Asia policy, said at a talk hosted by the German Marshall Fund of the United States.

“And I believe one of the outcomes of this tragedy will be a kind of new thinking around how to solidify institutional connections beyond what we’ve already seen between Europe and the Pacific,” he said.

America’s approach to the world was already undergoing a major shift, with the U.S. wars in Afghanistan and Iraq concluded, and conversations over Islamic terrorism no longer at the fore. Many war-weary Americans welcomed calls for a reduced military footprint overseas by President Donald Trump, who questioned NATO’s relevance and even flirted with withdrawing from the alliance.

Biden sought to rebuild US&nbsp;alliances, but did so largely in the name of confronting China. The Russian invasion has expanded his mission dramatically and urgently, setting the stage for a seismic geopolitical shift that would pit the United States and its allies against China and Russia at once if they form an entrenched anti-Western bloc.

But it also gives Washington a new and nobler sense of purpose, Rhodes said. “We’ve been trying to get to a new era for a long time,” he said. “And now I think Putin’s invasion has necessitated an American return to the moral high ground.”

Playing hardball over energy

Early signs of how the new U.S. priorities are creating diplomatic quakes have already emerged.

On Friday, the United States and its European allies agreed to pause talks with Iran that just days earlier seemed on the verge of clinching a return to the 2015 deal that limited Iran’s nuclear program. Western nations are refusing a demand by Moscow, which is a party to the Obama-era agreement from which Trump withdrew, for guarantees that its future transactions with Iran be exempted from the sanctions imposed on Russia in recent weeks.

“It’s been clear since last weekend that negotiations to revive the Iran deal could not be walled off from the Ukraine war,” Dalia Dassa Kaye, an Iran expert at the Rand Corp., said Friday.

Last year, Biden made a new agreement a core goal of his foreign policy. It is unclear whether one can be struck without Russia, which is a member of the commission that supervises compliance with the deal and would take control of Iran’s excess enriched uranium.

The United States is also looking at Venezuela from a new angle. Senior Biden administration officials travelled to Venezuela two weeks after the Russian invasion, becoming the first to visit the country in years. Venezuela, a partner of Russia, is under heavy US&nbsp;sanctions imposed years ago to weaken the repressive government of President Nicolás Maduro. In 2019, the Trump administration imposed additional sanctions on the state oil company, central bank and senior officials to pressure Maduro to step down.

Now, with Biden looking to increase global oil supplies to bring down prices, U.S. officials are talking to Maduro’s government about buying his oil again. The idea has drawn some sharp criticism in Congress, however, where Sen. Bob Menendez, D-N.J., chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, fumed that “efforts to unify the entire world against a murderous tyrant in Moscow should not be undercut by propping up a dictator under investigation for crimes against humanity in Caracas.”

The same imperative on oil is reshaping US&nbsp;diplomacy with Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, two Persian Gulf nations that some Biden administration officials view with suspicion or hostility because of their autocratic systems and leading roles in a war in Yemen that has resulted in a humanitarian catastrophe. Brett McGurk and Amos J. Hochstein, two senior administration officials, traveled to the Gulf days before the Russian invasion to discuss security and energy issues.

However, Saudi Arabia has declined so far to increase oil production, while the United Arab Emirates waited until Wednesday to ask the OPEC nations to do so. U.S. officials were also furious with the UAE for declining to vote on a United Nations Security Council resolution to condemn Russia, although it did support a similar resolution later in the UN&nbsp;General Assembly.

The unreliability of the two nations and Russia’s place in the oil economy have increased momentum within the Biden administration to enact policies that would help the United States more quickly wean itself off fossil fuels and confront the climate crisis. This could lead future administrations to devote fewer diplomatic and military resources to the Gulf nations in the long term, even if U.S. officials want them to help on oil now.

“We may see more fundamental questioning about the value of these partnerships,” Kaye said. “These states already believe the US&nbsp;has checked out of the region, but their stance on Russia may only strengthen voices calling for a further reduction of US&nbsp;forces in the region.”

Israel, the closest U.S. ally in the Middle East, has also staked out a neutral position on the Ukraine war, largely because of Russia’s presence in the region. But US&nbsp;officials have been more forgiving of Israel’s stance as Prime Minister Naftali Bennett conducts shuttle diplomacy. He met with Putin for three hours in Moscow on March 5 and then spoke with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy by phone before returning home. U.S. officials said Bennett consulted with them about the talks, and Secretary of State Antony Blinken said this past week that they “appreciate the efforts.”

Zelenskyy told reporters Saturday that Jerusalem could be a site for peace talks between the leaders of Ukraine and Russia.

Juggling allies in Europe and Asia

In Europe, Russia’s invasion has supercharged the Biden administration’s efforts to restore the morale of a NATO alliance that Trump undermined.

But the alliance includes three nations — Poland, Hungary and Turkey — whose democratic backsliding has troubled the Biden administration. Hungary and Turkey were pointedly excluded from Biden’s global democracy summit in December, and the European Union has cut billions of euros of funding to Poland and Hungary for what it sees as erosions of legal and democratic principles. Now all three countries are participating in the coalition against Russia.

“In times of crisis, there is sometimes a tension between our values and our interests,” said Andrea Kendall-Taylor, a senior fellow at the Center for a New American Security. “In the short term, we’re going to have to prioritize pushing back against Russia, at the risk of taking our foot off the gas on the democracy and human rights concerns that had been at the front and center of the Biden administration’s agenda.”

In the Asia-Pacific region, several important U.S. partners and allies are working with Washington on sanctions and export controls on technology against Russia. These include Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Singapore and Australia. Some Asian nations have agreed to long-term gas swaps with Europe to help relieve a potential Russian shut-off of energy exports. And Australia has committed to spending $50 million to send weapons to Ukraine, including missiles and ammunition.

However, India — the most populous U.S. partner in the so-called Quad coalition of democracies in Asia — has refrained from condemning Russia’s invasion because of decades-old security ties with Moscow. That stance undermines Biden’s insistence that democratic nations band together against autocracies.

But it is the other Asian behemoth, China, that presents the biggest diplomatic challenge for the United States. China is Russia’s most powerful partner, and their bond has strengthened in recent years.

Even as the Russian military decimates Ukrainian cities and kills hundreds or thousands of civilians, China has signaled that it stands by Moscow by issuing anti-U.S. declarations and amplifying the Kremlin’s propaganda and conspiracy theories.

Xi’s persistent support of Putin, with whom he shares a drive to dilute US&nbsp;power, has made administration officials wonder whether there is any way to pull them apart on Ukraine.

On Thursday, CIA Director William Burns told US&nbsp;senators he believed that Xi was “unsettled” by the war. Some China analysts say that if Beijing wants to salvage its reputation with Western nations, particularly in Europe, it might agree to take steps to help Ukraine without directly breaking from Russia.

Ryan Hass, a China director on the National Security Council in the Obama White House, proposed testing Beijing with specific requests, such as asking them to provide more humanitarian aid and refrain from recognizing Russian-installed governments in Ukraine or shielding Russia from war crimes investigations.

“If China’s leaders take concrete actions to relieve suffering,” he said, “then lives would be saved and there would be less centrifugal pressure toward cleaving the world into rival blocs.”

The war in Ukraine has prompted the biggest rethinking of US foreign policy since the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, infusing the United States with a new sense of mission and changing its strategic calculus with allies and adversaries alike.

The war in Ukraine has prompted the biggest rethinking of US foreign policy since the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, infusing the United States with a new sense of mission and changing its strategic calculus with allies and adversaries alike. The Russian invasion has bonded America to Europe more tightly than at any time since the Cold War and deepened US ties with Asian allies, while forcing a reassessment of rivals like China, Iran and Venezuela. And it has reenergized Washington’s leadership role in the democratic world just months after the chaotic US withdrawal from Afghanistan ended 20 years of conflict on a dismal note. But the new focus on Russia will come with hard choices and internal contradictions, similar to ones that defined U.S. diplomacy during the Cold War, when America sometimes overlooked human rights abuses and propped up dictators in the name of the struggle against communism. “It feels like we’re definitively in a new era,” said Benjamin J. Rhodes, a former deputy national security adviser in the Obama White House. “The post-9/11 war on terror period of American hubris, and decline, is now behind us. And we’re not sure what’s next.” The attack by President Vladimir Putin of Russia on his neighbour has become a prism through which nearly all US foreign policy decisions will be cast for the foreseeable future, experts and officials said. In recent weeks, Western officials have spoken in terms that often echo the grand declarations that followed the 2001 terrorist attacks. On Friday, President Joe Biden said that “the free world is coming together” to stand up to Putin — a phrase reminiscent of President George W. Bush’s talk of how “the entire free world” was at war against terrorism. In the near term, Moscow’s aggression is sure to invigorate Biden’s global fight for democracy against autocracies like Russia, making vivid the threats to fledgling democracies like Ukraine. Yet three increasingly authoritarian NATO nations — Poland, Hungary and Turkey — play key roles in the coalition aiding Ukraine. And the United States is grappling with internal assaults to its own democracy. The war lends urgency to Biden’s climate change agenda, reinforcing the need for more reliance on renewable clean energy over the fossil fuels that fill Russian coffers. Yet it has already generated new pressure to increase the short-term supply of oil from the likes of Venezuela’s isolated dictatorship and Saudi Arabia’s authoritarian monarchy. And it creates a powerful new incentive for the United States to find ways of prying President Xi Jinping of China away from Putin, who is likely counting on diplomatic and economic lifelines from Xi amid crushing Western sanctions. But some administration officials see China as a lost cause and prefer to treat China and Russia as committed partners, hoping that might galvanize policies among Asian and European allies to contain them both. While some experts warn that a renewed focus on Europe will inevitably divert attention from Asia, several top White House officials say the United States can capitalize on how the war has convinced some Asian governments that they need to work more closely with the West to build up a global ideological front to defend democracy. “What we are seeing now is an unprecedented level of Asian interest and focus,” Kurt M. Campbell, the top White House official on Asia policy, said at a talk hosted by the German Marshall Fund of the United States. “And I believe one of the outcomes of this tragedy will be a kind of new thinking around how to solidify institutional connections beyond what we’ve already seen between Europe and the Pacific,” he said. America’s approach to the world was already undergoing a major shift, with the U.S. wars in Afghanistan and Iraq concluded, and conversations over Islamic terrorism no longer at the fore. Many war-weary Americans welcomed calls for a reduced military footprint overseas by President Donald Trump, who questioned NATO’s relevance and even flirted with withdrawing from the alliance. Biden sought to rebuild US alliances, but did so largely in the name of confronting China. The Russian invasion has expanded his mission dramatically and urgently, setting the stage for a seismic geopolitical shift that would pit the United States and its allies against China and Russia at once if they form an entrenched anti-Western bloc. But it also gives Washington a new and nobler sense of purpose, Rhodes said. “We’ve been trying to get to a new era for a long time,” he said. “And now I think Putin’s invasion has necessitated an American return to the moral high ground.” Playing hardball over energy Early signs of how the new U.S. priorities are creating diplomatic quakes have already emerged. On Friday, the United States and its European allies agreed to pause talks with Iran that just days earlier seemed on the verge of clinching a return to the 2015 deal that limited Iran’s nuclear program. Western nations are refusing a demand by Moscow, which is a party to the Obama-era agreement from which Trump withdrew, for guarantees that its future transactions with Iran be exempted from the sanctions imposed on Russia in recent weeks. “It’s been clear since last weekend that negotiations to revive the Iran deal could not be walled off from the Ukraine war,” Dalia Dassa Kaye, an Iran expert at the Rand Corp., said Friday. Last year, Biden made a new agreement a core goal of his foreign policy. It is unclear whether one can be struck without Russia, which is a member of the commission that supervises compliance with the deal and would take control of Iran’s excess enriched uranium. The United States is also looking at Venezuela from a new angle. Senior Biden administration officials travelled to Venezuela two weeks after the Russian invasion, becoming the first to visit the country in years. Venezuela, a partner of Russia, is under heavy US sanctions imposed years ago to weaken the repressive government of President Nicolás Maduro. In 2019, the Trump administration imposed additional sanctions on the state oil company, central bank and senior officials to pressure Maduro to step down. Now, with Biden looking to increase global oil supplies to bring down prices, U.S. officials are talking to Maduro’s government about buying his oil again. The idea has drawn some sharp criticism in Congress, however, where Sen. Bob Menendez, D-N.J., chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, fumed that “efforts to unify the entire world against a murderous tyrant in Moscow should not be undercut by propping up a dictator under investigation for crimes against humanity in Caracas.” The same imperative on oil is reshaping US diplomacy with Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, two Persian Gulf nations that some Biden administration officials view with suspicion or hostility because of their autocratic systems and leading roles in a war in Yemen that has resulted in a humanitarian catastrophe. Brett McGurk and Amos J. Hochstein, two senior administration officials, traveled to the Gulf days before the Russian invasion to discuss security and energy issues. However, Saudi Arabia has declined so far to increase oil production, while the United Arab Emirates waited until Wednesday to ask the OPEC nations to do so. U.S. officials were also furious with the UAE for declining to vote on a United Nations Security Council resolution to condemn Russia, although it did support a similar resolution later in the UN General Assembly. The unreliability of the two nations and Russia’s place in the oil economy have increased momentum within the Biden administration to enact policies that would help the United States more quickly wean itself off fossil fuels and confront the climate crisis. This could lead future administrations to devote fewer diplomatic and military resources to the Gulf nations in the long term, even if U.S. officials want them to help on oil now. “We may see more fundamental questioning about the value of these partnerships,” Kaye said. “These states already believe the US has checked out of the region, but their stance on Russia may only strengthen voices calling for a further reduction of US forces in the region.” Israel, the closest U.S. ally in the Middle East, has also staked out a neutral position on the Ukraine war, largely because of Russia’s presence in the region. But US officials have been more forgiving of Israel’s stance as Prime Minister Naftali Bennett conducts shuttle diplomacy. He met with Putin for three hours in Moscow on March 5 and then spoke with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy by phone before returning home. U.S. officials said Bennett consulted with them about the talks, and Secretary of State Antony Blinken said this past week that they “appreciate the efforts.” Zelenskyy told reporters Saturday that Jerusalem could be a site for peace talks between the leaders of Ukraine and Russia. Juggling allies in Europe and Asia In Europe, Russia’s invasion has supercharged the Biden administration’s efforts to restore the morale of a NATO alliance that Trump undermined. But the alliance includes three nations — Poland, Hungary and Turkey — whose democratic backsliding has troubled the Biden administration. Hungary and Turkey were pointedly excluded from Biden’s global democracy summit in December, and the European Union has cut billions of euros of funding to Poland and Hungary for what it sees as erosions of legal and democratic principles. Now all three countries are participating in the coalition against Russia. “In times of crisis, there is sometimes a tension between our values and our interests,” said Andrea Kendall-Taylor, a senior fellow at the Center for a New American Security. “In the short term, we’re going to have to prioritize pushing back against Russia, at the risk of taking our foot off the gas on the democracy and human rights concerns that had been at the front and center of the Biden administration’s agenda.” In the Asia-Pacific region, several important U.S. partners and allies are working with Washington on sanctions and export controls on technology against Russia. These include Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Singapore and Australia. Some Asian nations have agreed to long-term gas swaps with Europe to help relieve a potential Russian shut-off of energy exports. And Australia has committed to spending $50 million to send weapons to Ukraine, including missiles and ammunition. However, India — the most populous U.S. partner in the so-called Quad coalition of democracies in Asia — has refrained from condemning Russia’s invasion because of decades-old security ties with Moscow. That stance undermines Biden’s insistence that democratic nations band together against autocracies. But it is the other Asian behemoth, China, that presents the biggest diplomatic challenge for the United States. China is Russia’s most powerful partner, and their bond has strengthened in recent years. Even as the Russian military decimates Ukrainian cities and kills hundreds or thousands of civilians, China has signaled that it stands by Moscow by issuing anti-U.S. declarations and amplifying the Kremlin’s propaganda and conspiracy theories. Xi’s persistent support of Putin, with whom he shares a drive to dilute US power, has made administration officials wonder whether there is any way to pull them apart on Ukraine. On Thursday, CIA Director William Burns told US senators he believed that Xi was “unsettled” by the war. Some China analysts say that if Beijing wants to salvage its reputation with Western nations, particularly in Europe, it might agree to take steps to help Ukraine without directly breaking from Russia. Ryan Hass, a China director on the National Security Council in the Obama White House, proposed testing Beijing with specific requests, such as asking them to provide more humanitarian aid and refrain from recognizing Russian-installed governments in Ukraine or shielding Russia from war crimes investigations. “If China’s leaders take concrete actions to relieve suffering,” he said, “then lives would be saved and there would be less centrifugal pressure toward cleaving the world into rival blocs.”

Ukraine war ushers in ‘new era’ for US abroad

Hospitals hit by Airstrikes. Schools destroyed by Bombing. Over 2 million people have fled Ukraine in just 2 weeks. Half of them are children.

WION WIDEANGLE | Ukraine: The Exodus

Disclaimer: A number of claims and counterclaims are being made on the Ukraine-Russia conflict on the ground and online. While WION takes utmost care to accurately report this developing news story, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos.

People in Russia have been selling McDonald’s food online at exorbitant prices after the fast-food chain closed all its 850 outlets in the country in protest against Ukrainian war.

Soon after McDonald’s made the announcement, thousands of Russians made a beeline outside several outlets in the hope of getting the last bite.

While some spent hours to get hold of the delicious burgers, the hoarders thought of making quick money out of the crisis.

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People in Moscow waiting in line for McDonald's after they announced they would be closing all 847 locations in Russia. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RussiaUkraineCrisis?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RussiaUkraineCrisis</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/McDonalds?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#McDonalds</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Moscow?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Moscow</a> <a href="https://t.co/CozmFpmexX">pic.twitter.com/CozmFpmexX</a>
— 🇺🇦 (@UkraineLiveNews) <a href="https://twitter.com/UkraineLiveNews/status/1501368787114811393?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 9, 2022</a></blockquote>
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According to reports, several unavailable food items are being sold on Avito, a Russian auction site similar to eBay.

One meal, consisting of two burgers, two drinks and a cherry pie was listed, was being sold for 7,500 Russian rubles, equivalent to US $56.

The buyer would need to collect the meal, which was purchased fresh on 9 March, from an address in Moscow.

Similarly, one person priced a Big Mac meal at US $272 while another attempted to sell three bags of McDonald's goods for US $697.

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Buy while it's hot 
 
After McDonald's announcement that they were leaving <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Russia?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Russia</a>, people have already started selling their supplies on Internet. <a href="https://t.co/DtoWbuZ1If">pic.twitter.com/DtoWbuZ1If</a>
— NEXTA (@nexta_tv) <a href="https://twitter.com/nexta_tv/status/1501317054145642499?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 8, 2022</a></blockquote>
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McDonald’s, though initially hesitant to pull out, halted operations in Russia after facing backlash.

On March 9, President and CEO, Chris Kempczinski announced to temporarily close&nbsp;all the restaurants in Russia in the light of the conflict that has caused “unspeakable suffering to innocent people”.

“As a System, we join the world in condemning aggression and violence and praying for peace. Our number one priority from the start of this crisis has been – and will remain – our people,” Kempczinski said in an email addressed to McDonald’s employees and franchises which was later shared on Twitter.

(With inputs from agencies)

Disclaimer: A number of claims and counterclaims are being made on the Ukraine-Russia conflict on the ground and online. While WION takes utmost care to accurately report this developing news story, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos.

Disclaimer: A number of claims and counterclaims are being made on the Ukraine-Russia conflict on the ground and online. While WION takes utmost care to accurately report this developing news story, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos. People in Russia have been selling McDonald’s food online at exorbitant prices after the fast-food chain closed all its 850 outlets in the country in protest against Ukrainian war. Soon after McDonald’s made the announcement, thousands of Russians made a beeline outside several outlets in the hope of getting the last bite. While some spent hours to get hold of the delicious burgers, the hoarders thought of making quick money out of the crisis. People in Moscow waiting in line for McDonald's after they announced they would be closing all 847 locations in Russia. #RussiaUkraineCrisis #McDonalds #Moscow pic.twitter.com/CozmFpmexX — 🇺🇦 (@UkraineLiveNews) March 9, 2022 × According to reports, several unavailable food items are being sold on Avito, a Russian auction site similar to eBay. One meal, consisting of two burgers, two drinks and a cherry pie was listed, was being sold for 7,500 Russian rubles, equivalent to US $56. The buyer would need to collect the meal, which was purchased fresh on 9 March, from an address in Moscow. Similarly, one person priced a Big Mac meal at US $272 while another attempted to sell three bags of McDonald's goods for US $697. Buy while it's hot After McDonald's announcement that they were leaving #Russia, people have already started selling their supplies on Internet. pic.twitter.com/DtoWbuZ1If — NEXTA (@nexta_tv) March 8, 2022 × McDonald’s, though initially hesitant to pull out, halted operations in Russia after facing backlash. On March 9, President and CEO, Chris Kempczinski announced to temporarily close all the restaurants in Russia in the light of the conflict that has caused “unspeakable suffering to innocent people”. “As a System, we join the world in condemning aggression and violence and praying for peace. Our number one priority from the start of this crisis has been – and will remain – our people,” Kempczinski said in an email addressed to McDonald’s employees and franchises which was later shared on Twitter. (With inputs from agencies)

McDonald’s food being sold online at exorbitant prices in Russia after ceasing operations

Seven refugee bears from Kyiv were getting used to their new home in the western city of Lviv on March 8, after enduring a 24 hour non-stop journey to safety.

Bears rescued from Russian Invasion

Beyond conventional wisdom, more than the loss of finance, strategy, and economy, there lies a much deeper, often immeasurable - the human cost of war.

Ukraine-Russia Conflict: The Human Cost Of War

The devastation that Ukraine is facing has sparked a new debate among Americans, with many claiming that if the embattled Ukrainians were privy to guns they could've defended their country better. Let's take a look at what's being said.

USA debates: Could Ukrainians have defended their country better if they owned more guns?

After students of Kharkiv received an advisory from the Indian embassy in Ukraine, medical students from the neighbouring city of Sumy are awaiting their turn. Both Kharkiv and Sumy are closer to the Russian border than those where India is carrying out extensive evacuation operations.

About 700 students are still taking shelter in bunkers. Speaking to WION, they say their grocery stock has begun running out.&nbsp;

“It has been five days since the shops in the locality have pulled their shutters down. I am left with what was purchased on day 1, when we learnt about the movement of Russian troops in Ukraine,” said Akshay Jain, a medical student from Sumy State University.

“Our local contractor, who is in charge of the hostel, has asked us to stay put and not move around until told. There’s curfew and I am told the metros are shut,” the 21-year-old student added.

Students from both Kharkiv and Sumy are taking to social media seeking help. Students from Kharkiv, who reached Pisochyn last evening have been taken towards Lviv in groups. Though many are still in Kharkiv trying to reach Pisochyn.

In the latest advisory, Indian&nbsp;embassy to Ukraine has asked students still in Kharkiv to fill a form to take stock of the number of students still stranded in the region. Those who have reached Pisochyn have been asked to refrain from filling the form.

The embassy tweeted, “All Indian Nationals who are in KHARKIV excluding PISOCHYN, please fill up details contained in the form on an urgent basis.”

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All Indian Nationals who are in KHARKIV excluding PISOCHYN, please fill up details contained in the form on an urgent basis: <a href="https://t.co/hm5ayU5UgC">https://t.co/hm5ayU5UgC</a>
— India in Ukraine (@IndiainUkraine) <a href="https://twitter.com/IndiainUkraine/status/1499372633019854851?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 3, 2022</a></blockquote>
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In a plea to be evacuated safely, a medical student from Sumy tweeted, “Respected Volodymyr Zelenskyy, we are Indian students from Sumy. Please permit us to leave through the Russian border. We just want to get back to our country safely to our homes. We are patiently waiting for you cooperation. We have faith that you will understand our situation. Thank you.”

As per government sources, “The process of moving students from Sumy to a safe location will begin this evening.”

After students of Kharkiv received an advisory from the Indian embassy in Ukraine, medical students from the neighbouring city of Sumy are awaiting their turn. Both Kharkiv and Sumy are closer to the Russian border than those where India is carrying out extensive evacuation operations.

After students of Kharkiv received an advisory from the Indian embassy in Ukraine, medical students from the neighbouring city of Sumy are awaiting their turn. Both Kharkiv and Sumy are closer to the Russian border than those where India is carrying out extensive evacuation operations. About 700 students are still taking shelter in bunkers. Speaking to WION, they say their grocery stock has begun running out. “It has been five days since the shops in the locality have pulled their shutters down. I am left with what was purchased on day 1, when we learnt about the movement of Russian troops in Ukraine,” said Akshay Jain, a medical student from Sumy State University. “Our local contractor, who is in charge of the hostel, has asked us to stay put and not move around until told. There’s curfew and I am told the metros are shut,” the 21-year-old student added. Students from both Kharkiv and Sumy are taking to social media seeking help. Students from Kharkiv, who reached Pisochyn last evening have been taken towards Lviv in groups. Though many are still in Kharkiv trying to reach Pisochyn. In the latest advisory, Indian embassy to Ukraine has asked students still in Kharkiv to fill a form to take stock of the number of students still stranded in the region. Those who have reached Pisochyn have been asked to refrain from filling the form. The embassy tweeted, “All Indian Nationals who are in KHARKIV excluding PISOCHYN, please fill up details contained in the form on an urgent basis.” All Indian Nationals who are in KHARKIV excluding PISOCHYN, please fill up details contained in the form on an urgent basis: https://t.co/hm5ayU5UgC — India in Ukraine (@IndiainUkraine) March 3, 2022 × In a plea to be evacuated safely, a medical student from Sumy tweeted, “Respected Volodymyr Zelenskyy, we are Indian students from Sumy. Please permit us to leave through the Russian border. We just want to get back to our country safely to our homes. We are patiently waiting for you cooperation. We have faith that you will understand our situation. Thank you.” As per government sources, “The process of moving students from Sumy to a safe location will begin this evening.”

Ukraine war witness account: Still in bunkers, Indian students in Sumy await advisory

While Google barred Russia’s state-owned media outlet RT, YouTube was 'pausing' some Russian channels on its platform. A lot is happening in the tech world after the invasion of Ukraine. #ukraine #russia #putin

Here's how tech giants are combating Russia's invasion of Ukraine

Japanese billionaire Hiroshi "Mickey" Mikitani said Sunday that ''Russia's invasion a challenge to democracy,'' adding that he will donate $8.7 million to the government of Ukraine.

"My thoughts are with you and Ukraine people," Mikitani said in a letter addressed to Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky.

"I believe that the trampling of a peaceful and democratic Ukraine by unjustified force is a challenge to democracy.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/ukraine-president-zelinsky-minsk-agreement-itself-is-complicit-457104/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

"I sincerely hope that Russia and Ukraine can resolve this issue peacefully and that Ukraine people can have peace again as soon as possible," he wrote.

Mikitani is the founder of e-commerce giant Rakuten. He visited Kyiv in 2019 and met with Zelensky.&nbsp;

Street fighting broke out in Ukraine’s second-largest city and Russian troops squeezed strategic ports in the country’s south Sunday, advances that appeared to mark a new phase of Russia’s invasion following a wave of attacks on airfields and fuel facilities elsewhere in the country.

Until Sunday, Russia’s troops had remained on the outskirts of Kharkiv, a city of 1.4 million about 20 kilometers (12.4 miles) south of the border with Russia, while other forces rolled past to press the offensive deeper into Ukraine and Ukrainian fighters put up determined resistance.

Also see |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/from-curiosity-to-cataclysm-russian-president-vladimir-putins-relationship-with-the-west-456896">From curiosity to cataclysm: Russian President Vladimir Putin's relationship with the West</a>

“We are fighting, fighting for our country, fighting for our freedom because we have the right to do that,” Zelenskyy said.&nbsp;

“The past night was tough — more shelling, more bombing of residential areas and civilian infrastructure. There is not a single facility in the country that the occupiers wouldn’t consider as admissible targets.”

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/who-are-the-ukrainians-what-you-should-know-about-the-nation-facing-war-457019" hreflang="en">Who are the Ukrainians? What you should know about the nation facing war</a>

Russian President Vladimir Putin hasn’t disclosed his ultimate plans, but Western officials believe he is determined to overthrow Ukraine’s government and replace it with a regime of his own, redrawing the map of Europe and reviving Moscow’s Cold War-era influence.

The pressure on strategic ports in the south of Ukraine appeared aimed at seizing control of Ukraine’s coastline stretching from the border with Romania in the west to the border with Russia in the east.

Cutting Ukraine’s access to its sea ports that would deal a major blow to the country’s economy. It also could allow Moscow to build a land corridor to Crimea, which Moscow annexed in 2014 and until now was connected to Russia by a 19-kilometer (12-mile) bridge, the longest bridge in Europe which opened in 2018.

Russia’s military also put increasing pressure on strategic ports in the south of Ukraine, blocking the cities of Kherson on the Black Sea and the port of Berdyansk on the Azov Sea.

(With inputs from agencies)

Japanese billionaire Hiroshi "Mickey" Mikitani said Sunday that ''Russia's invasion a challenge to democracy,'' adding that he will donate $8.7 million to the government of Ukraine.

Japanese billionaire Hiroshi "Mickey" Mikitani said Sunday that ''Russia's invasion a challenge to democracy,'' adding that he will donate $8.7 million to the government of Ukraine. "My thoughts are with you and Ukraine people," Mikitani said in a letter addressed to Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky. "I believe that the trampling of a peaceful and democratic Ukraine by unjustified force is a challenge to democracy. "I sincerely hope that Russia and Ukraine can resolve this issue peacefully and that Ukraine people can have peace again as soon as possible," he wrote. Mikitani is the founder of e-commerce giant Rakuten. He visited Kyiv in 2019 and met with Zelensky. Street fighting broke out in Ukraine’s second-largest city and Russian troops squeezed strategic ports in the country’s south Sunday, advances that appeared to mark a new phase of Russia’s invasion following a wave of attacks on airfields and fuel facilities elsewhere in the country. Until Sunday, Russia’s troops had remained on the outskirts of Kharkiv, a city of 1.4 million about 20 kilometers (12.4 miles) south of the border with Russia, while other forces rolled past to press the offensive deeper into Ukraine and Ukrainian fighters put up determined resistance. Also see | From curiosity to cataclysm: Russian President Vladimir Putin's relationship with the West “We are fighting, fighting for our country, fighting for our freedom because we have the right to do that,” Zelenskyy said. “The past night was tough — more shelling, more bombing of residential areas and civilian infrastructure. There is not a single facility in the country that the occupiers wouldn’t consider as admissible targets.” Also read | Who are the Ukrainians? What you should know about the nation facing war Russian President Vladimir Putin hasn’t disclosed his ultimate plans, but Western officials believe he is determined to overthrow Ukraine’s government and replace it with a regime of his own, redrawing the map of Europe and reviving Moscow’s Cold War-era influence. The pressure on strategic ports in the south of Ukraine appeared aimed at seizing control of Ukraine’s coastline stretching from the border with Romania in the west to the border with Russia in the east. Cutting Ukraine’s access to its sea ports that would deal a major blow to the country’s economy. It also could allow Moscow to build a land corridor to Crimea, which Moscow annexed in 2014 and until now was connected to Russia by a 19-kilometer (12-mile) bridge, the longest bridge in Europe which opened in 2018. Russia’s military also put increasing pressure on strategic ports in the south of Ukraine, blocking the cities of Kherson on the Black Sea and the port of Berdyansk on the Azov Sea. (With inputs from agencies)

Japanese billionaire calls Russia's attack a challenge to democracy, donates $8.7 million to Ukraine

In a significant move, Poland has announced that no visa will be required for Indian nationals crossing into the country from war-torn Ukraine. In a tweet, Polish envoy Adam Burakowski said, "Poland is allowing to enter without any visa all Indian students who escape from Russian aggression in Ukraine.".

A number of Indian nationals have reached the Poland-Ukraine border and have been advised by the Indian mission in Warsaw to make for the Shehyni Medyka border crossing.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/poland-envoy-speaks-to-wion-poland-will-help-in-evacuating-indians-stranded-in-ukraine-456852/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

The Polish government is allowing people to cross that border on foot. The Krakowiec border crossing is for persons travelling in their own vehicles.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/war-in-ukraine-polands-envoy-adam-burakowski-assures-full-support-to-india-on-evacuation-plans-456882" hreflang="en">Poland's envoy Burakowski assures full support to India on evacuation plans</a>

In an exclusive conversation with Wion on Saturday, Envoy Adam said, " I can assure you that Polish authorities are fully cooperating with India", explaining, "Poland and other countries which border Ukraine, Slovakia, Hungary and Romania are providing help."

Around 15000 Indian nationals mostly medical students are in Ukraine. Indian governent has launched operation Ganga for the evacuation of Indian nationals. The Ministry of external affairs has sent teams to border areas of Romania, Poland, and Hungary for evacuation of Indian nationals crossing over from Ukraine.

&nbsp;

In a significant move, Poland has announced that no visa will be required for Indian nationals crossing into the country from war-torn Ukraine. In a tweet, Polish envoy Adam Burakowski said, "Poland is allowing to enter without any visa all Indian students who escape from Russian aggression in Ukraine.

In a significant move, Poland has announced that no visa will be required for Indian nationals crossing into the country from war-torn Ukraine. In a tweet, Polish envoy Adam Burakowski said, "Poland is allowing to enter without any visa all Indian students who escape from Russian aggression in Ukraine.". A number of Indian nationals have reached the Poland-Ukraine border and have been advised by the Indian mission in Warsaw to make for the Shehyni Medyka border crossing. The Polish government is allowing people to cross that border on foot. The Krakowiec border crossing is for persons travelling in their own vehicles. Also read | Poland's envoy Burakowski assures full support to India on evacuation plans In an exclusive conversation with Wion on Saturday, Envoy Adam said, " I can assure you that Polish authorities are fully cooperating with India", explaining, "Poland and other countries which border Ukraine, Slovakia, Hungary and Romania are providing help." Around 15000 Indian nationals mostly medical students are in Ukraine. Indian governent has launched operation Ganga for the evacuation of Indian nationals. The Ministry of external affairs has sent teams to border areas of Romania, Poland, and Hungary for evacuation of Indian nationals crossing over from Ukraine.

War in Ukraine: Poland says no visa required for Indians crossing border

Poland envoy to India Adam Burakowski has assured full cooperation to India when it comes to its evacuation plans for Indian nationals in the country. Speaking to our diplomatic correspondent Sidhant Sibal, Envoy Adam said, " I can assure you that Polish authorities are fully cooperating with India", explaining, "Poland and other countries which border Ukraine, Slovakia, Hungary and Romania are providing help." A number of Indian nationals have reached the Poland-Ukraine border and have been advised to make for the Shehyni Medyka border crossing. The Polish government is allowing people to cross the border on foot. The Krakowiec border crossing is for persons travelling in their own vehicles.

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Meanwhile, the envoy also talked about how Poland supports "Ukraine in their fight, and Ukrainians are fighting for their independence against Russian aggression". He pointed, "EU is helping Ukraine with loans, with humanitarian assistance and we know Russia is a very aggressive state. We see the example right now." Poland itself is bracing with a huge influx of refugees from neighboring Ukraine. Meanwhile, in a show of support for war-torn Kyiv, Poland has refused to take part in the world cup 2022 playoff with Russia due to take place next month.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/ukraine-crisis-russia-will-pay-a-heavy-price-says-eus-envoy-to-india-ugo-astuto-456606" hreflang="en">Ukraine crisis: Russia will pay a heavy price, says EU's envoy Ugo&nbsp;Astuto</a>

WION: How is your country supporting the evacuation of Indian nationals? 
Adam Burakowski: As we know Russia invaded Ukraine, against international law, so by doing this Russia itself excluded itself from the international community. Poland and other countries of the European Union strongly condemn this act and we are helping Ukraine with many things, also with weapons. This situation, the Russian aggression is a very threat to people living in Ukraine. Russians are aiming at civilians. They are attacking civil targets, they are killing women, children, and they just want to kill these people. Among these, there are Indian students who are there in the peaceful country of Ukraine because they were studying, and the country gave them very good conditions. Now they are escaping from the threat of Russian aggression, Indian students escaping from Russian bombs, Russian bullets. Poland is willing to help. The Indian embassy in Warsaw is coordinating this action. They can go to Poland and from Poland, they will be taken to India by special flights. Details can be found on the website and social media of the Indian embassy in Poland. I can assure you that Polish authorities are fully cooperating with India about it but of course the biggest influx of people are not from India. They are Ukrainians because their country has been attacked by Russia and they lost many people from their families, they just want to keep their lives and not be killed by Russian bullets. Indian students are also in the same or similar threats also because they could be killed by Russian bullets and they want to escape. Poland and other countries that border Ukraine, Slovakia, Hungary, and Romania are providing help.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/ukraine-crisis-romanias-govt-to-provide-evacuated-indian-students-with-food-accommodation-says-envoy-456604" hreflang="en">Ukraine crisis: Romania's govt to provide evacuated Indian students with food, accommodation, says envoy</a>

WION: How does the situation impact your country? especially the refugee crisis? 
Adam Burakowski: First of all, we support Ukraine in their fight, and Ukrainians are fighting for their independence against Russian aggression. Concerning the refugee crisis caused by Russia, we are helping the refugees, even before the Russian aggression, there were one million or even more Ukrainians living peacefully in Poland. They have families in Ukraine, so there are many Ukrainian nationals coming to Poland. And Poland is providing support for them because we know what is being attacked by foreign powers. Warsaw, the capital of Poland has been bombed by Nazi Germany. So we know how it is in Kyiv now it's bombed by Russia.

WION: How do European capitals look at this invasion by Russia? 
Adam Burakowski: This is not the first aggressive act committed by Russia, in 2008 Russia invaded Georgia, 2014 Russia invaded Ukraine as you remember, and now another invasion of Russia but this time it's on a much bigger scale. This is a full-scale military campaign aimed at crashing Ukraine, killing civilians, killing women and children, elder people, so we are really strengthening our security. We are a member of NATO, EU and these organizations help Ukraine, not only militarily. NATO countries sent military weapons, other resources to Ukraine. Also, the EU is helping Ukraine with loans, with humanitarian assistance and we know Russia is a very aggressive state. We see the example right now. But we are strong western communities, European Union, and other countries the UK, the US, Canada, and Japan introduced very severe sanctions against the officials of the Russian regime.&nbsp;

WION: EU has announced a number of sanctions? how different are these sanctions from the previous sanctions announced by the EU? 
Adam Burakowski: These actions are very strong, not only the sanctions I have already mentioned. There are many other, Russian Banks that are now banned in Europe, also the private accounts of Vladimir Putin and Sergey Lavrov have been frozen because they had banking accounts in Western Europe. And also some, also important smaller actions, like for example Russia was banned from some football games and Poland has made important decision to ban all the Russian civil aviation from the Polish airspace. Even the Euro vision song, Russia was expelled. So every organization which is committed to peace and stability wants to get Russia out of the organization. Russia has been suspended from the council of Europe, really all this excludes Russia from the international community. But it's not like we are excluding them, they are excluding themselves because they are against international law and standards and they just created the biggest humanitarian crisis in Europe in recent decades because Russia invaded Ukraine.&nbsp;

WION: In Delhi, European union envoys and G7 envoys have met. What is the purpose of these meetings? 
Adam Burakowski: We are united and we just want to show it that we are united. Tonight, I will go to the embassy of Ukraine to commemorate the victims of the Russian attacks because the Russians attacked civilian targets and killed many children. So I want to commemorate this but show my reality, not only solidarity with Ukraine but to show that Poland rejects such Russian methods, that they are using.&nbsp;

Poland envoy to India Adam Burakowski has assured full cooperation to India when it comes to its evacuation plans for Indian nationals in the country. Speaking to our diplomatic correspondent Sidhant Sibal, Envoy Adam said, " I can assure you that Polish authorities are fully cooperating with India", explaining, "Poland and other countries which border Ukraine, Slovakia, Hungary and Romania are providing help.

Poland envoy to India Adam Burakowski has assured full cooperation to India when it comes to its evacuation plans for Indian nationals in the country. Speaking to our diplomatic correspondent Sidhant Sibal, Envoy Adam said, " I can assure you that Polish authorities are fully cooperating with India", explaining, "Poland and other countries which border Ukraine, Slovakia, Hungary and Romania are providing help." A number of Indian nationals have reached the Poland-Ukraine border and have been advised to make for the Shehyni Medyka border crossing. The Polish government is allowing people to cross the border on foot. The Krakowiec border crossing is for persons travelling in their own vehicles. Meanwhile, the envoy also talked about how Poland supports "Ukraine in their fight, and Ukrainians are fighting for their independence against Russian aggression". He pointed, "EU is helping Ukraine with loans, with humanitarian assistance and we know Russia is a very aggressive state. We see the example right now." Poland itself is bracing with a huge influx of refugees from neighboring Ukraine. Meanwhile, in a show of support for war-torn Kyiv, Poland has refused to take part in the world cup 2022 playoff with Russia due to take place next month. Also read | Ukraine crisis: Russia will pay a heavy price, says EU's envoy Ugo Astuto WION: How is your country supporting the evacuation of Indian nationals? Adam Burakowski: As we know Russia invaded Ukraine, against international law, so by doing this Russia itself excluded itself from the international community. Poland and other countries of the European Union strongly condemn this act and we are helping Ukraine with many things, also with weapons. This situation, the Russian aggression is a very threat to people living in Ukraine. Russians are aiming at civilians. They are attacking civil targets, they are killing women, children, and they just want to kill these people. Among these, there are Indian students who are there in the peaceful country of Ukraine because they were studying, and the country gave them very good conditions. Now they are escaping from the threat of Russian aggression, Indian students escaping from Russian bombs, Russian bullets. Poland is willing to help. The Indian embassy in Warsaw is coordinating this action. They can go to Poland and from Poland, they will be taken to India by special flights. Details can be found on the website and social media of the Indian embassy in Poland. I can assure you that Polish authorities are fully cooperating with India about it but of course the biggest influx of people are not from India. They are Ukrainians because their country has been attacked by Russia and they lost many people from their families, they just want to keep their lives and not be killed by Russian bullets. Indian students are also in the same or similar threats also because they could be killed by Russian bullets and they want to escape. Poland and other countries that border Ukraine, Slovakia, Hungary, and Romania are providing help. Also read | Ukraine crisis: Romania's govt to provide evacuated Indian students with food, accommodation, says envoy WION: How does the situation impact your country? especially the refugee crisis? Adam Burakowski: First of all, we support Ukraine in their fight, and Ukrainians are fighting for their independence against Russian aggression. Concerning the refugee crisis caused by Russia, we are helping the refugees, even before the Russian aggression, there were one million or even more Ukrainians living peacefully in Poland. They have families in Ukraine, so there are many Ukrainian nationals coming to Poland. And Poland is providing support for them because we know what is being attacked by foreign powers. Warsaw, the capital of Poland has been bombed by Nazi Germany. So we know how it is in Kyiv now it's bombed by Russia. WION: How do European capitals look at this invasion by Russia? Adam Burakowski: This is not the first aggressive act committed by Russia, in 2008 Russia invaded Georgia, 2014 Russia invaded Ukraine as you remember, and now another invasion of Russia but this time it's on a much bigger scale. This is a full-scale military campaign aimed at crashing Ukraine, killing civilians, killing women and children, elder people, so we are really strengthening our security. We are a member of NATO, EU and these organizations help Ukraine, not only militarily. NATO countries sent military weapons, other resources to Ukraine. Also, the EU is helping Ukraine with loans, with humanitarian assistance and we know Russia is a very aggressive state. We see the example right now. But we are strong western communities, European Union, and other countries the UK, the US, Canada, and Japan introduced very severe sanctions against the officials of the Russian regime. WION: EU has announced a number of sanctions? how different are these sanctions from the previous sanctions announced by the EU? Adam Burakowski: These actions are very strong, not only the sanctions I have already mentioned. There are many other, Russian Banks that are now banned in Europe, also the private accounts of Vladimir Putin and Sergey Lavrov have been frozen because they had banking accounts in Western Europe. And also some, also important smaller actions, like for example Russia was banned from some football games and Poland has made important decision to ban all the Russian civil aviation from the Polish airspace. Even the Euro vision song, Russia was expelled. So every organization which is committed to peace and stability wants to get Russia out of the organization. Russia has been suspended from the council of Europe, really all this excludes Russia from the international community. But it's not like we are excluding them, they are excluding themselves because they are against international law and standards and they just created the biggest humanitarian crisis in Europe in recent decades because Russia invaded Ukraine. WION: In Delhi, European union envoys and G7 envoys have met. What is the purpose of these meetings? Adam Burakowski: We are united and we just want to show it that we are united. Tonight, I will go to the embassy of Ukraine to commemorate the victims of the Russian attacks because the Russians attacked civilian targets and killed many children. So I want to commemorate this but show my reality, not only solidarity with Ukraine but to show that Poland rejects such Russian methods, that they are using.

War in Ukraine: Poland's envoy Adam Burakowski assures full support to India on evacuation plans

Chinese banks have limited financing to purchase raw materials from Russia in order to avoid Western sanctions as its troops continue to press on Kyiv.

Bloomberg news agency reported that at least two of China's largest state-owned banks, ICBC and Bank of China, are restricting funding for the purchase of Russian commodities.

ICBC is the world's largest bank by assets, while Bank of China is the country's largest commercial bank for currency trading.&nbsp;

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China is the only friend that might help Russia blunt the impact of economic sanctions over its invasion of Ukraine, but President Xi Jinping’s government is giving no sign it might be willing to risk its own access to US and European markets by doing too much.

Even if Beijing wanted to, its ability to support President Vladimir Putin by importing more Russian gas and other goods is limited.

Relations with Moscow have warmed since Xi took power in 2012, motivated by shared resentment of Washington, but their interests can conflict.&nbsp;

While their militaries hold joint exercises, Putin is uneasy about the growing Chinese economic presence in Central Asia and Russia’s Far East.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russia-recognises-taiwan-as-part-of-china-opposes-islands-independence-450437">Also read |&nbsp;Russia recognises Taiwan as part of China, opposes island's independence</a>

“China-Russia relations are at the highest level in history, but the two countries are not an alliance,” said Li Xin, an international relations expert at the Shanghai University of Political Science and Law.

Russian President Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine on Thursday sparked a wave of international sanctions against Moscow, mainly from Western countries.

Washington has, among other things, imposed sanctions on energy giant Gazprom and other large Russian companies, which will no longer be able to raise money on Western financial markets.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/in-pics-russia-iran-china-hold-joint-naval-drills-in-northern-indian-ocean-447132">In pics: Russia, Iran, China hold joint naval drills in northern Indian Ocean</a>

Xi’s government might support Putin within those limits, and Chinese companies might use the situation to pursue better deals,&nbsp;but will balk at openly violating sanctions and being targeted for penalties, experts said.

“China doesn’t want to get so involved that it ends up suffering as a result of its support for Russia,” said Mark Williams, chief Asia economist for Capital Economics.

Chinese trade with Russia rose to $146.9 billion last year, but that is less than one-tenth of China’s total $1.6 trillion in trade with the United States and EU.

“It all hinges on whether they’re willing to risk their access to Western markets to help Russia, and I don’t think they are,” said Williams. “It’s just not that big a market.”

Xi’s government has tried to distance itself from the attack by urging respect for national sovereignty, which Foreign Minister Wang Yi said last weekend includes Ukraine.

(With inputs from agencies)

Chinese banks have limited financing to purchase raw materials from Russia in order to avoid Western sanctions as its troops continue to press on Kyiv. Bloomberg news agency reported that at least two of China's largest state-owned banks, ICBC and Bank of China, are restricting funding for the purchase of Russian commodities.

Chinese banks have limited financing to purchase raw materials from Russia in order to avoid Western sanctions as its troops continue to press on Kyiv. Bloomberg news agency reported that at least two of China's largest state-owned banks, ICBC and Bank of China, are restricting funding for the purchase of Russian commodities. ICBC is the world's largest bank by assets, while Bank of China is the country's largest commercial bank for currency trading. China is the only friend that might help Russia blunt the impact of economic sanctions over its invasion of Ukraine, but President Xi Jinping’s government is giving no sign it might be willing to risk its own access to US and European markets by doing too much. Even if Beijing wanted to, its ability to support President Vladimir Putin by importing more Russian gas and other goods is limited. Relations with Moscow have warmed since Xi took power in 2012, motivated by shared resentment of Washington, but their interests can conflict. While their militaries hold joint exercises, Putin is uneasy about the growing Chinese economic presence in Central Asia and Russia’s Far East. Also read | Russia recognises Taiwan as part of China, opposes island's independence “China-Russia relations are at the highest level in history, but the two countries are not an alliance,” said Li Xin, an international relations expert at the Shanghai University of Political Science and Law. Russian President Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine on Thursday sparked a wave of international sanctions against Moscow, mainly from Western countries. Washington has, among other things, imposed sanctions on energy giant Gazprom and other large Russian companies, which will no longer be able to raise money on Western financial markets. In pics: Russia, Iran, China hold joint naval drills in northern Indian Ocean Xi’s government might support Putin within those limits, and Chinese companies might use the situation to pursue better deals, but will balk at openly violating sanctions and being targeted for penalties, experts said. “China doesn’t want to get so involved that it ends up suffering as a result of its support for Russia,” said Mark Williams, chief Asia economist for Capital Economics. Chinese trade with Russia rose to $146.9 billion last year, but that is less than one-tenth of China’s total $1.6 trillion in trade with the United States and EU. “It all hinges on whether they’re willing to risk their access to Western markets to help Russia, and I don’t think they are,” said Williams. “It’s just not that big a market.” Xi’s government has tried to distance itself from the attack by urging respect for national sovereignty, which Foreign Minister Wang Yi said last weekend includes Ukraine. (With inputs from agencies)

Ukraine war: Chinese banks limit financing for Russian purchases to avoid Western sanctions

On Thursday, Russia launched an all-out land, air, and sea invasion of Ukraine, the worst attack by one country against another in Europe since World War II, fulfilling the West's greatest fears.&nbsp;

According to Mirror, distressing photo of a man crying over the body of what appears to be a relative has highlighted the brutal reality of the looming conflict.

As the sun rose this morning in Ukraine, the early toll of Russian missile strikes on densely populated cities began to emerge. 
 
Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/wont-bow-down-ukraine-president-vows-to-fight-back-against-aggressor-russia-456029">‘Won’t bow down’: Ukraine president vows to fight back against Russia</a>

An attack on a military unit in Podilsk, near Odessa, killed six people and injured seven, according to officials.

The photos are thought to have been taken in Donbas, which is located in the separatist Donetsk area of the country's east.

One of the strikes seemed to have killed him. 
 
Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/50-russian-occupiers-killed-we-have-losses-says-ukraine-as-casualties-rise-455989">'50 Russian occupiers killed': We have losses, says Ukraine as casualties rise</a>

The man is shown on his knees in the rubble, crying and holding his hands to his face in a heartbreaking photo.&nbsp;

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has called on all citizens who are ready to defend the country from Russian forces to come forward, saying Kyiv will issue weapons to everyone who wants them.

(With inputs from agencies)

On Thursday, Russia launched an all-out land, air, and sea invasion of Ukraine, the worst attack by one country against another in Europe since World War II, fulfilling the West's greatest fears.

On Thursday, Russia launched an all-out land, air, and sea invasion of Ukraine, the worst attack by one country against another in Europe since World War II, fulfilling the West's greatest fears. According to Mirror, distressing photo of a man crying over the body of what appears to be a relative has highlighted the brutal reality of the looming conflict. As the sun rose this morning in Ukraine, the early toll of Russian missile strikes on densely populated cities began to emerge. Also read | ‘Won’t bow down’: Ukraine president vows to fight back against Russia An attack on a military unit in Podilsk, near Odessa, killed six people and injured seven, according to officials. The photos are thought to have been taken in Donbas, which is located in the separatist Donetsk area of the country's east. One of the strikes seemed to have killed him. Also read | '50 Russian occupiers killed': We have losses, says Ukraine as casualties rise The man is shown on his knees in the rubble, crying and holding his hands to his face in a heartbreaking photo. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has called on all citizens who are ready to defend the country from Russian forces to come forward, saying Kyiv will issue weapons to everyone who wants them. (With inputs from agencies)

Picture shows a Ukrainian crying near body of man killed in Russian strike

During a call with Vladimir Putin on Thursday, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged Russia to halt military action against Ukraine and stressed on taking a diplomatic route to resolve the standoff.

"(The) Prime Minister appealed for an immediate cessation of violence, and called for concerted efforts from all sides to return to the path of diplomatic negotiations and dialogue," the government said in a statement.

The conversation came hours after Ukraine&nbsp;“pleaded” for India’s intervention.

During the brief talk, Modi conveyed to Putin to consider “India's concerns regarding the safety of the Indian citizens in Ukraine, especially students”, and said that India attaches the highest priority to their safe exit.

The statement further said that Putin briefed Modi on the recent developments in Ukraine.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/no-choice-but-to-invade-ukraine-to-defend-russia-says-vladimir-putin-456201">‘No choice but to invade Ukraine to defend Russia’, says Vladimir Putin</a>

“Prime Minister reiterated his long-standing conviction that the differences between Russia and the NATO group can only be resolved through honest and sincere dialogue. Prime Minister appealed for an immediate cessation of violence, and called for concerted efforts from all sides to return to the path of diplomatic negotiations and dialogue,” it added.

The leaders agreed that their officials and diplomatic teams would continue to maintain regular contacts on issues of topical interest.

Earlier on Thursday, Russia launched a wide-ranging military attack on Ukraine and targeted its multiple cities with missiles and tanks.

Also read |&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/putin-made-a-call-to-this-leader-before-launching-military-operation-on-ukraine-456016">Putin made a call to this leader before launching military operation on Ukraine</a>

At least 68 people, including soldiers and civilians, were killed, according to AFP which cited various Ukrainian official sources.

The Russian Defence Ministry said it destroyed 74 above-ground military infrastructure facilities in Ukraine, including 11 aerodromes.

Ukraine said Russia had carried out 203 attacks since the day began.

(With inputs from agencies)

During a call with Vladimir Putin on Thursday, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged Russia to halt military action against Ukraine and stressed on taking a diplomatic route to resolve the standoff.

During a call with Vladimir Putin on Thursday, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged Russia to halt military action against Ukraine and stressed on taking a diplomatic route to resolve the standoff. "(The) Prime Minister appealed for an immediate cessation of violence, and called for concerted efforts from all sides to return to the path of diplomatic negotiations and dialogue," the government said in a statement. The conversation came hours after Ukraine “pleaded” for India’s intervention. During the brief talk, Modi conveyed to Putin to consider “India's concerns regarding the safety of the Indian citizens in Ukraine, especially students”, and said that India attaches the highest priority to their safe exit. The statement further said that Putin briefed Modi on the recent developments in Ukraine. Also read | ‘No choice but to invade Ukraine to defend Russia’, says Vladimir Putin “Prime Minister reiterated his long-standing conviction that the differences between Russia and the NATO group can only be resolved through honest and sincere dialogue. Prime Minister appealed for an immediate cessation of violence, and called for concerted efforts from all sides to return to the path of diplomatic negotiations and dialogue,” it added. The leaders agreed that their officials and diplomatic teams would continue to maintain regular contacts on issues of topical interest. Earlier on Thursday, Russia launched a wide-ranging military attack on Ukraine and targeted its multiple cities with missiles and tanks. Also read | Putin made a call to this leader before launching military operation on Ukraine At least 68 people, including soldiers and civilians, were killed, according to AFP which cited various Ukrainian official sources. The Russian Defence Ministry said it destroyed 74 above-ground military infrastructure facilities in Ukraine, including 11 aerodromes. Ukraine said Russia had carried out 203 attacks since the day began. (With inputs from agencies)

Ukraine invasion: Indian PM Modi urges Putin to end violence and return to dialogue

Hours after launching a full-scale military action against Ukraine, Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday clarified said that Kremlin had no other choice but to “invade” its neighbour’s borders, according to AFP.

“What was happening left us with no choice,” the Russian leader said during a televised meeting with business representatives, adding that “we had no other way of proceeding”.

The remarks are in stark contrast to what was said earlier by the Russian leader that Moscow had no plans of launching a full-scale invasion.

Putin also said his country wanted to remain part of the world economy and had no plans to harm it.

“Russia remains part of the world economy,” he said.

“We are not going to damage the world economic system which we are part of," he said, adding he also did not want Russia to be excluded from the international economic community.

"It seems to me that our partners should understand this and not set themselves the task of pushing us out of this system," he added.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/wont-bow-down-ukraine-president-vows-to-fight-back-against-aggressor-russia-456029">‘Won’t bow down’: Ukraine president vows to fight back against Russia</a>

The attack triggered Western warnings of unprecedented sanctions against Russia as NATO, EU and G7 leaders condemned the attack and vowed to hold Moscow accountable.

Russian airstrikes hit military installations across the country as ground forces moved in from the north, south and east, forcing many Ukrainians to flee their homes to the sounds of the bombing.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/50-russian-occupiers-killed-we-have-losses-says-ukraine-as-casualties-rise-455989">'50 Russian occupiers killed': We have losses, says Ukraine as casualties rise</a>

Across Ukraine, at least 68 people were killed, including both soldiers and civilians, according to an AFP reported citing Ukrainian official sources.

Britain said it is freezing the UK assets of Russian elites in banking and arms manufacturing, sanctioning five more oligarchs and banning Aeroflot from its airspace, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Thursday.

The US government also imposed sanctions&nbsp;on two Russian banks, Moscow's sovereign debt, several oligarchs and other measures.

Germany had earlier announced it would block the pipeline from opening for deliveries.

Watch |&nbsp;Ukraine under attack from land and sea, 'full scale' military operation underway

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/ukraine-under-attack-from-land-and-sea-full-scale-military-operation-underway-456199/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

(With inputs from agencies)

Hours after launching a full-scale military action against Ukraine, Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday clarified said that Kremlin had no other choice but to “invade” its neighbour’s borders, according to AFP.

Hours after launching a full-scale military action against Ukraine, Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday clarified said that Kremlin had no other choice but to “invade” its neighbour’s borders, according to AFP. “What was happening left us with no choice,” the Russian leader said during a televised meeting with business representatives, adding that “we had no other way of proceeding”. The remarks are in stark contrast to what was said earlier by the Russian leader that Moscow had no plans of launching a full-scale invasion. Putin also said his country wanted to remain part of the world economy and had no plans to harm it. “Russia remains part of the world economy,” he said. “We are not going to damage the world economic system which we are part of," he said, adding he also did not want Russia to be excluded from the international economic community. "It seems to me that our partners should understand this and not set themselves the task of pushing us out of this system," he added. Also read | ‘Won’t bow down’: Ukraine president vows to fight back against Russia The attack triggered Western warnings of unprecedented sanctions against Russia as NATO, EU and G7 leaders condemned the attack and vowed to hold Moscow accountable. Russian airstrikes hit military installations across the country as ground forces moved in from the north, south and east, forcing many Ukrainians to flee their homes to the sounds of the bombing. Also read | '50 Russian occupiers killed': We have losses, says Ukraine as casualties rise Across Ukraine, at least 68 people were killed, including both soldiers and civilians, according to an AFP reported citing Ukrainian official sources. Britain said it is freezing the UK assets of Russian elites in banking and arms manufacturing, sanctioning five more oligarchs and banning Aeroflot from its airspace, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Thursday. The US government also imposed sanctions on two Russian banks, Moscow's sovereign debt, several oligarchs and other measures. Germany had earlier announced it would block the pipeline from opening for deliveries. Watch | Ukraine under attack from land and sea, 'full scale' military operation underway (With inputs from agencies)

‘No choice but to invade Ukraine to defend Russia’, says Vladimir Putin

Volodymyr Zelensky is in the tumultuous phase of his presidency. He is helming the affairs of Ukraine when Russia has launched an all-out assault on his territory.

He is one of those people who became president solely based on his popularity as an actor and a comedian. The 44-year-old doesn’t have any prior experience in the field of brinkmanship, unlike his predecessors.

Now, he is facing the prospect of a war with Russia, which has one of the largest armies in the world.

An inborn comedian

Born in the central city of Kryvyi Rih to Jewish parents, Volodymyr Zelensky graduated from Kyiv National Economic University with a law degree. However, it was comedy that turned out to be his calling.

<img alt="Comedian" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="13561cf0-59c5-4999-9706-0c587cae0e23" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Zewlensky%201.jpeg" />

As a young man, he regularly participated in a competitive team comedy show on Russian TV. In 2003, he co-founded a successful TV production company named after his comedy team, Kvartal 95.

The company produced shows for Ukraine's 1+1 network, whose controversial billionaire owner, Ihor Kolomoisky, would later back Zelensky's presidential bid.

Until the mid-2010s, his career in TV and films, such as Love in the Big City (2009) and Rzhevsky Versus Napoleon (2012), was his main focus.

Servant of the People

The year 2014 marked a turning point, not only for Zelensky’s career, but also for Ukraine.

In that year, Ukraine’s pro-Russian President, Viktor Yanukovych, was ousted after months of protests. Russia later seized Crimea and backed separatists in the east in a war against Ukraine that continues to this day.

<img alt="Zelensky-starrer Servant of the People show" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="93e601f4-a467-4d4b-a0a0-94dffc48ed7b" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/zelen%203.jpg" />

A year after that, the Zelensky-starrer Servant of the People premiered in Ukraine and made him an instant celebrity.

The 44-year-old portrayed a character called Vasiliy Goloborodko, a foul-mouthed school teacher who becomes the president after one of his students&nbsp;films his rant against corruption and posts it online.

The comedy show became a huge hit just as it resonated with the people when the country was going through a series of crises, marked by corruption and the aftereffects of Crimea annexation.

Path to the presidency

After having spent a considerable amount of time serving as the president in reel life, Zelensky decided to take the political plunge in 2019.

Zelensky decided to take on then president and businessman Petro Poroshenko in the presidential election.

According to the BBC, Zelensky avoided discussing serious issues during his election campaign and relied on posting light-hearted comic videos on social media as part of his canvassing plan.

<img alt="After having spent a considerable of time serving as the president in reel life, Zelensky decided to take the political plunge in 2019." data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="37146d6c-1edd-4846-8aae-1cdee527c6e5" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/zekeb%205.jpg" />

Despite all that, he managed to win over the Ukrainians with his charm and defeated Petro Poroshenko in a runoff by winning more than 70 per cent of the vote.

Now, he is facing off against Vladimir Putin, a seasoned politician and former KGB spy.

In a televised address to the nation, Zelensky vowed to fight against Russia and assured his citizens that they were prepared to fend off any kind of aggression.

(With contributions from agencies)

Volodymyr Zelensky is in the tumultuous phase of his presidency. He is helming the affairs of Ukraine when Russia has launched an all-out assault on his territory.

Volodymyr Zelensky is in the tumultuous phase of his presidency. He is helming the affairs of Ukraine when Russia has launched an all-out assault on his territory. He is one of those people who became president solely based on his popularity as an actor and a comedian. The 44-year-old doesn’t have any prior experience in the field of brinkmanship, unlike his predecessors. Now, he is facing the prospect of a war with Russia, which has one of the largest armies in the world. An inborn comedian Born in the central city of Kryvyi Rih to Jewish parents, Volodymyr Zelensky graduated from Kyiv National Economic University with a law degree. However, it was comedy that turned out to be his calling. As a young man, he regularly participated in a competitive team comedy show on Russian TV. In 2003, he co-founded a successful TV production company named after his comedy team, Kvartal 95. The company produced shows for Ukraine's 1+1 network, whose controversial billionaire owner, Ihor Kolomoisky, would later back Zelensky's presidential bid. Until the mid-2010s, his career in TV and films, such as Love in the Big City (2009) and Rzhevsky Versus Napoleon (2012), was his main focus. Servant of the People The year 2014 marked a turning point, not only for Zelensky’s career, but also for Ukraine. In that year, Ukraine’s pro-Russian President, Viktor Yanukovych, was ousted after months of protests. Russia later seized Crimea and backed separatists in the east in a war against Ukraine that continues to this day. A year after that, the Zelensky-starrer Servant of the People premiered in Ukraine and made him an instant celebrity. The 44-year-old portrayed a character called Vasiliy Goloborodko, a foul-mouthed school teacher who becomes the president after one of his students films his rant against corruption and posts it online. The comedy show became a huge hit just as it resonated with the people when the country was going through a series of crises, marked by corruption and the aftereffects of Crimea annexation. Path to the presidency After having spent a considerable amount of time serving as the president in reel life, Zelensky decided to take the political plunge in 2019. Zelensky decided to take on then president and businessman Petro Poroshenko in the presidential election. According to the BBC, Zelensky avoided discussing serious issues during his election campaign and relied on posting light-hearted comic videos on social media as part of his canvassing plan. Despite all that, he managed to win over the Ukrainians with his charm and defeated Petro Poroshenko in a runoff by winning more than 70 per cent of the vote. Now, he is facing off against Vladimir Putin, a seasoned politician and former KGB spy. In a televised address to the nation, Zelensky vowed to fight against Russia and assured his citizens that they were prepared to fend off any kind of aggression. (With contributions from agencies)

Volodymyr Zelensky: From ex-comedian to ‘war president’

The United States President Joe Biden on Tuesday (January 25) said that he will think about imposing personal sanctions on Russian President Vladimir Putin if he invades Ukraine.&nbsp;

Amid heightened tensions at the Russia-Ukraine border, the Western countries fear that Putin is plotting to invade the&nbsp;country it invaded in 2014.

The crisis got escalated drastically after Russia amassed tens of thousands of troops on its borders with Ukraine. However, Russia denies it is planning an attack.&nbsp;

Russia has said it could take unspecified military action if a list of demands is not met, including a promise from NATO never to admit Ukraine as a member.&nbsp;

IN PICS |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/how-the-west-can-use-economic-sanctions-to-target-russia-over-ukraine-conflict-447444">How the West can use economic sanctions to target Russia over Ukraine conflict</a>

In the aftermath, the West tried to de-escalate the situation and now has stepped up military preparations and made plans to shield Europe from a potential energy supply shock.&nbsp;

Now, Biden has come up with the rare sanctions threat as NATO places forces on standby and reinforces eastern Europe with more ships and fighter jets in response to Russia's troop build-up near its border with Ukraine.&nbsp;

While addressing a presser, Biden was asked if he would see himself imposing sanctions on Putin directly. "Yes," he responded. "I would see that."

Direct US sanctions on foreign leaders are rare but not unprecedented. Others who have faced sanctions include Venezuela's Nicolas Maduro, Syria's Bashar al-Assad and Libya's Muammar Gaddafi.

Russian state TV plays down

On one side, NATO forces have&nbsp;gathered against a potential invasion - creating a war-like situation.&nbsp;On the other hand, Russian state TV has played down the entire crisis.&nbsp;

Russian state TV - vital for the Kremlin's public messaging over 11 time zones - has often focused in recent days on other issues such as Russian athletes' hopes for the Beijing Winter Olympics or rising Omicron cases.

"At the moment, there's no sense the enemy is at the door and that we're starting a war soon... That's not happening at all," said one Russian media analyst, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

As mentioned by Reuters, Russian state media say Western "panic" is fuelling the tensions, along with the US troop reinforcements to the region and arms supplies to Kyiv while reporting the crisis.&nbsp;

They do not mention the presence of around 100,000 Russian troops near Ukraine's border. "They've invented it (the Russian threat)... The Americans have been scaring themselves about a Russian invasion for months," a reporter for the Vesti news programme told viewers.

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&nbsp;

The United States President Joe Biden on Tuesday (January 25) said that he will think about imposing personal sanctions on Russian President Vladimir Putin if he invades Ukraine.

The United States President Joe Biden on Tuesday (January 25) said that he will think about imposing personal sanctions on Russian President Vladimir Putin if he invades Ukraine. Amid heightened tensions at the Russia-Ukraine border, the Western countries fear that Putin is plotting to invade the country it invaded in 2014. The crisis got escalated drastically after Russia amassed tens of thousands of troops on its borders with Ukraine. However, Russia denies it is planning an attack. Russia has said it could take unspecified military action if a list of demands is not met, including a promise from NATO never to admit Ukraine as a member. IN PICS | How the West can use economic sanctions to target Russia over Ukraine conflict In the aftermath, the West tried to de-escalate the situation and now has stepped up military preparations and made plans to shield Europe from a potential energy supply shock. Now, Biden has come up with the rare sanctions threat as NATO places forces on standby and reinforces eastern Europe with more ships and fighter jets in response to Russia's troop build-up near its border with Ukraine. While addressing a presser, Biden was asked if he would see himself imposing sanctions on Putin directly. "Yes," he responded. "I would see that." Direct US sanctions on foreign leaders are rare but not unprecedented. Others who have faced sanctions include Venezuela's Nicolas Maduro, Syria's Bashar al-Assad and Libya's Muammar Gaddafi. Russian state TV plays down On one side, NATO forces have gathered against a potential invasion - creating a war-like situation. On the other hand, Russian state TV has played down the entire crisis. Russian state TV - vital for the Kremlin's public messaging over 11 time zones - has often focused in recent days on other issues such as Russian athletes' hopes for the Beijing Winter Olympics or rising Omicron cases. "At the moment, there's no sense the enemy is at the door and that we're starting a war soon... That's not happening at all," said one Russian media analyst, who spoke on condition of anonymity. As mentioned by Reuters, Russian state media say Western "panic" is fuelling the tensions, along with the US troop reinforcements to the region and arms supplies to Kyiv while reporting the crisis. They do not mention the presence of around 100,000 Russian troops near Ukraine's border. "They've invented it (the Russian threat)... The Americans have been scaring themselves about a Russian invasion for months," a reporter for the Vesti news programme told viewers. ×

Ukraine crisis: Joe Biden's rare sanction threat to Vladimir Putin; Russian media's narrative is different

People around the world is is Russia getting prepared for a war with Ukraine. Now there's been a massive true build up along Ukraine's bottom and there's also been a new missile test and the u.s Russia tensions remain at an all-time high.

Russian forces train near Ukraine border

The ongoing conflict in Ukraine's east is the subject of two films at the Venice Film Festival this year, underscoring the horror and futility of the simmering -- and largely forgotten -- war.

The festival also premieres Oleh Sentsov's "Rhino" about corruption in 1990s Ukraine, two years after the Ukrainian director was released from a Russian prison after being arrested for protesting the annexation of Crimea in 2014. &nbsp;

"Reflection", from Ukranian director Valentyn Vasyanovych, portrays the gruesome torture inflicted in secret detention centres by pro-Russian separatists in occupied Ukraine.

A documentary by France's Loup Bureau, "Trenches", follows Ukranian soldiers inside their tunnelled defences as they deal with anxiety, monotony, and unpredictable artillery attacks.

Since 2014, Ukraine's army has been locked in a protracted battle in the east with pro-Russian breakaway fighters, a conflict that has killed more than 13,000 people.

"I was deeply affected by the fact that in modern Europe nowadays these cruel, totally inhumane things can happen," Vasyanovych told AFP Wednesday.&nbsp;

The torture -- which the United Nations said in July was occurring daily -- is "not less important than the war itself that's going on".

Using bleak, single-frame tableaus reminiscent of chiaroscuro paintings, Vasyanovych lays bare the torture inflicted on captured Ukrainian soldiers, and one former prisoner's journey towards healing and salvation.

After surgeon Serhiy (Roman Lutskyi) enlists in the war, he is soon taken prisoner. After first subjecting him to torture, his captors rely on him to tell them whether other mutilated and barely recognisable victims of their torture are dead, or still alive.

In one powerful scene, Ukranian soldiers who have been tortured to death are burned in a mobile incinerator inside a truck labelled "Humanitarian Aid from the Russian Federation."

&nbsp;- Spies and saboteurs -

In Bureau's documentary shot mostly in black and white, front-line soldiers spend much of their time digging with pickaxes, carrying sandbags, waiting and worrying -- all between moments of fire from enemy trenches within eyesight.

The trenches' lone female soldier -- nicknamed Persephone, for the queen of the underworld -- says her fellow soldiers, the same age as her children, "look like grown-ups, but some of them are just kids.

"They simply don't understand that it's no picnic," she says. "They're on a frontline, there are bombardments, people die and others are seriously injured."

Man's brutality is also a theme of the powerful period drama "Captain Volkonogov Escaped", by Russian directors Natasha Merkulova and Aleksey Chupov.

Like "Reflection", it is competing for the festival's top prize, the Golden Lion.

A captain, played by Yuriy Borisov, escapes from the state security services in 1938 Leningrad where he and his colleagues have been charged with killing "terrorists, spies and saboteurs".

"You know the times we're living in," the captain's superior tells him, to justify the gruesome torture used to exact confessions.&nbsp;

"Yes, they're innocent now -- but they'll be guilty later on."

The ongoing conflict in Ukraine's east is the subject of two films at the Venice Film Festival this year, underscoring the horror and futility of the simmering -- and largely forgotten -- war.

The ongoing conflict in Ukraine's east is the subject of two films at the Venice Film Festival this year, underscoring the horror and futility of the simmering -- and largely forgotten -- war. The festival also premieres Oleh Sentsov's "Rhino" about corruption in 1990s Ukraine, two years after the Ukrainian director was released from a Russian prison after being arrested for protesting the annexation of Crimea in 2014. "Reflection", from Ukranian director Valentyn Vasyanovych, portrays the gruesome torture inflicted in secret detention centres by pro-Russian separatists in occupied Ukraine. A documentary by France's Loup Bureau, "Trenches", follows Ukranian soldiers inside their tunnelled defences as they deal with anxiety, monotony, and unpredictable artillery attacks. Since 2014, Ukraine's army has been locked in a protracted battle in the east with pro-Russian breakaway fighters, a conflict that has killed more than 13,000 people. "I was deeply affected by the fact that in modern Europe nowadays these cruel, totally inhumane things can happen," Vasyanovych told AFP Wednesday. The torture -- which the United Nations said in July was occurring daily -- is "not less important than the war itself that's going on". Using bleak, single-frame tableaus reminiscent of chiaroscuro paintings, Vasyanovych lays bare the torture inflicted on captured Ukrainian soldiers, and one former prisoner's journey towards healing and salvation. After surgeon Serhiy (Roman Lutskyi) enlists in the war, he is soon taken prisoner. After first subjecting him to torture, his captors rely on him to tell them whether other mutilated and barely recognisable victims of their torture are dead, or still alive. In one powerful scene, Ukranian soldiers who have been tortured to death are burned in a mobile incinerator inside a truck labelled "Humanitarian Aid from the Russian Federation." - Spies and saboteurs - In Bureau's documentary shot mostly in black and white, front-line soldiers spend much of their time digging with pickaxes, carrying sandbags, waiting and worrying -- all between moments of fire from enemy trenches within eyesight. The trenches' lone female soldier -- nicknamed Persephone, for the queen of the underworld -- says her fellow soldiers, the same age as her children, "look like grown-ups, but some of them are just kids. "They simply don't understand that it's no picnic," she says. "They're on a frontline, there are bombardments, people die and others are seriously injured." Man's brutality is also a theme of the powerful period drama "Captain Volkonogov Escaped", by Russian directors Natasha Merkulova and Aleksey Chupov. Like "Reflection", it is competing for the festival's top prize, the Golden Lion. A captain, played by Yuriy Borisov, escapes from the state security services in 1938 Leningrad where he and his colleagues have been charged with killing "terrorists, spies and saboteurs". "You know the times we're living in," the captain's superior tells him, to justify the gruesome torture used to exact confessions. "Yes, they're innocent now -- but they'll be guilty later on."

Venice films expose horrific Ukraine war, man's brutality

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